Letters from an Angel
by ThrowDownTheKey
Summary: The bohemians read the letters Angel left them.
1. Collins

_"__My dearest Collins,_

_I love you. I love you so much. I think you know that, but just in case you don't, I'll say it again. I love you. I hate to have to write this letter at all, I thought it'd be a long time before I'd have to say goodbye. You're sitting next to me right now, sleeping. Which I'm glad you're doing, because honey, you look like you haven't slept in days. Which is true. You being asleep also gives me a chance to write this. Thank you for staying here with me. I know I tell you to go home, so you can eat and sleep, but I love having you here. You're the only reason I'm holding on. I've written my letters to Mimi, Roger, Mark, Maureen, and Joanne, and yours is the last one. After I write this, I'm letting go. I know you don't want me to, but I have to. Being alive hurts too much, and it's not like I'm doing anyone any good in this hospital bed. I saved your letter for last, mostly because I don't want to write it. I don't want to say goodbye, I don't want to leave you. But I'm not leaving you, not really, I'll still be with you. And if I turn into a ghost (fingers crossed) then I will come and haunt you. But not in the creepy way, in the romantic way. Like how it is in all those romantic comedy's I force you to watch. Thanks for doing that, by the way. I love curling up on the couch with you. You know what Mark said the other day? He said that our love was too great for earth. Like Rose and Jack's, or Romeo and Juliet's. It was too powerful to survive on earth, the love had to be up in heaven. You know what else Markie said? He said that I was already an angel, now I'd just be getting my wings. Isn't that sweet? Even though I already told him in his letter, tell Mark I love him. Not like how I love you, of course. Collins, now my hand is getting tired and I have to get down to the point. A part of me wants to tell you to visit my grave every day, to never date or love anyone else, and that I'm waiting anxiously for you in heaven. But I can't tell you to do that. Because that would mean you would stop living, and I don't want that. Besides, I can't deprive those sexy single men of the sex appeal that is Thomas Collins. So I want you to love, get back out there. And I'll be watching you, and obviously I'll be wishing that was me with you, but I'll be proud. I'll turn to the other angel's and say, "You see him? He's the love of my life. And look! He's moving on, and he didn't turn into a depressed old man waiting to die." Keep teaching, even though you pretend to hate it, I know you love it. Keep wearing ridiculous amounts of layers, and your stupid beanies. I love them, and you should let someone else fall in love with them too. Keep laughing, I love your laugh and I want to hear it up in heaven. I love you so much._

_I love you with all my heart,_

_Your Angel_

_PS. There is a lot of money hidden in the heel of my black stiletto heels. Please donate half to someone in need, and keep the rest. Keep it for a trip, something you need, an emergency, or if you fall in love, buy them an engagement ring for me. Give someone else the chance to do what I always wanted to."_

"Joanne," Collins said, his voice wavering. "How long have you had this?"

"She put in with my letter, she told me to give it to you on Christmas Eve, as an Anniversary present," Joanne said, putting her hands in the pockets of her overcoat.

"Thankyou," Collins uttered, his voice cracking. Tears started slipping from his eyes, staining the pink parchment paper. He quickly folded the letter and put it in his leather jacket, he couldn't bear to look at it anymore.

Later, once Joanne had left, he sat down on the couch. He made himself a mug of hot cocoa, and filled it to the brim with whip cream. Then, he made a mug of hot green tea. He remembered when Angel used to make tea for herself, and cocoa for him. She always piled on the whip cream for him, and when he asked her why, she had replied with, "Just to make sure you always stay this sweet." Then she'd giggle and join him on the couch.

As he sipped him hot chocolate, he read over her letter once more. He read it over and over and over, his eyes tracing over her cursive letters until he had the note memorized. When he read it, he could hear Angel's voice saying the words. He knew exactly which parts she would have said lovingly, and the parts she would have said sarcastically. He could almost hear her adorable laugh hanging over his head.

When it was nearing midnight, Collins put the letter back in his jacket pocket. Then he walked into the bedroom he and Angel had once shared, and he opened her side of the closet. Nothing had been sold, Collins couldn't bear to get rid of any of her stuff. There had been many a day when he would just wrap one of her sweaters around himself, just to smell her sweet scent once more. At the floor of the closet was a rack, and on that rack were about twenty different heels. Collins knew exactly which shoes Angel was talking about, they were the black ones she was wearing the day she met Mark and Roger. He examined the shoe, and saw a piece of the heel's fabric was loose. He folded it over, exposing the hollow heel of the shoe. There was a roll of dollar bills, which he didn't bother counting, he would do it later. Also in the heel was a note. It was on a piece of faded lined paper.

_I will love you all of my life and longer. -Angel_


	2. Mark

_Mark,_

_Now I know what you think I'm going to say. So no, I won't be telling you to get in front of the camera and start living. Not today. You know why? Because I realized something today, Markie. I realized why you film us non-stop. Because, and this hurts to say, we are all dying. It'll be me first, and Mimi's getting so sickly I know she'll just be next, and then eventually Collins and Roger. You just want to savor us, and to not have to rely on memories. That's why you're always filming everything, because you want these days to last. You are unbelievably wise Markie, and I guess I just had never realized. I also want you to find a girl, one that actually loves you. Get over Maureen, and get back in the dating pool. I know this and this only, but everyone deserves to experience true love. She's out there Mark, you just have to find her. Also, please take care of my Collins. He pretends like he's accepted the fact that I'm going to be gone soon, but I can see right through him. I know he's going to break down, please Markie, just be there for him. Hold him when he cries, because I won't be able to any more. And please make sure he doesn't turn into what Roger did when April died. It's your job to look after all of us, Mark. But remember, I'll never really be gone. I'll be watching when you get your well-deserved filmmaker breakthrough, and I'll be watching over your wedding. _

_I love you Mark,_

_Angel_

Mark smiled at the letter. He hadn't looked at it in years, but every time he did, it made him smile. He had taken her advice, and didn't know where he would be today if he hadn't.

"Daddy?"

Mark looked down. His four year old son was holding up a brightly colored painting. "What's this?" Mark asked.

"I drew it for you at school," the boy explained, pointing out the stick figures on the parchment paper. "That's me, mommy, sister, and that's you, holding the camera."

Mark took the drawing from his son and ruffled the toddler's dark blonde hair. "Thanks buddy," he said. Then his son ran happily off to his room, most likely to go jam on his plastic electric guitar. Mark pinned the drawing to his bulletin board with a red thumb tack.

He'd have to go to work soon, as he couldn't keep his actors waiting. He was really excited about his newest project, a romantic comedy about a drag queen that falls in love with a college professor, entitled, "Something as True as This Is."


	3. Joanne

_Joanne,_

_You're beautiful. I know that it may sound weird coming from me, but honey, you needed to hear that. Sometimes it seems like you don't think you deserve Maureen, but you really really do. Trust me. You're so smart too, don't let that girl take advantage of you. And the only reason she messes around is because she doesn't think she deserves you. I also know that you think the rest of the group completely hates you, but it's just not true. Roger just doesn't understand you or your job. Mark and you are obviously good friends, and Collins really respects you. I love you, you know that. And even though it may seem like Mimi dislikes you, that girl has nothing but good things to say about you. Really Joanne, you hold us together. And you keep that romance of yours. Maureen really does love you. And do me a favor honey? Make sure Collins keeps teaching, I know he's going to want to quit, so make sure he doesn't._

_Angel_

"She wrote this?"

Joanne nodded, "Yeah. And you know what? She was right. She knew we were perfect together."

Maureen smiled, fingering the diamond ring on her finger. "She had such faith in love."

Joanne looked into her wife's eyes, and said, "I'm glad I listened to her." Joanne put her hand on Maureen's stomach.

"Sometimes I can't believe it."

"What?" Joanne asked.

"That it's been two years. And that you married me. Just think, in a few months, we'll have a baby too. A little boy to call our own," Maureen put her hand on top of Joanne's.

Then she carefully folded the letter back up and slid it back into the pink envelope.


	4. Roger

_Roger,_

_Remember the day you met me? I do. I loved how accepting you and Mark were of me. You were probably thinking, "Oh look. My friend has brought home a dog murdering drag queen. Nice." But thank you. Thanks for welcoming me into your little bohemian family, it made the last ten months the best of my life. I just want you to know, I have faith in you. You will write that one great song, and I hope it brings you everything you want. I also have something else to tell you. I understand. Remember when I found you crying over April in your room that night? And I said that I knew what you were going through. You laughed and shook me off. But I know more than you thought. My first boyfriend, Tyler, I dated in highschool. He cheated on me, and got AIDS. After he told me, he knocked me out. When I woke up, he was dead, with a gun in his hand. He had made sure I wasn't there to witness it, then he killed himself. I never forgave myself for that, even though I didn't do anything. For months afterwards I hated myself. I thought, that maybe if I hadn't fell unconscious, or if I had woken up sooner, he wouldn't have done it. Then I got depression, and stayed in my room for days on end. Then I realized something. He was gone, and I would never forget him, but I had to continue living. Because what other choice did I have? So Roger, I know what you went through. And because of that, I know that Mimi is perfect for you. She got me through that point in my life, and she will always be there for you. So when you break down in tears, don't shut her out. She loves you and knows how to help you. Keep writing songs, I know you'll find glory._

_Angel_

Roger wiped a tear from his eye. "What does yours say?" he asked.

Mimi shook her head, "I didn't get one." Roger folded his letter and put it back in his desk.

"But you were her best friend!" he was surprised Angel wrote him a letter, and not Mimi.

"She did, Mimi. You just haven't gotten it yet," Collins said. He was sitting on Mimi and Roger's sofa, flipping through Mimi's photo albums. He paused when he saw a picture of him and Angel, hanging out at the Life. Collins had a glass in his hand, filling with what was most likely Stoli. He had his arm around Angel, who was smiling brightly. "Can I have this?" he asked.

Mimi nodded, "Yeah, but what do you mean I haven't gotten it yet?"

"Angel told me she gave yours to the post office, and instructed them to send it on your birthday," Collins said, slipping the photo of him and Angel from the book.

"Which birthday? This year, next year, five years?" Mimi asked, trying to get more information out of Collins.

"I'm sorry Mimi, that's all I know. Don't worry, she'll send it eventually," Collins sympathized.


	5. Maureen

_Maureen,_

_I'm not sure what to write, I've got so much to say. First of all, thank you for being Collins' best friend. I know he's going to need you even more once I'm gone, so thanks for that. I love your protests, keep doing them. Anarchists like you and Collins are going to change the world. Keep loving Joanne, I know she gets frustrated with you sometimes, but it's only because she's jealous. She doesn't want to have to share you with the rest of the world, which I can understand. But you girls are meant to be together, I know it. I hate this hospital. Thanks for visiting me so often, and not getting all weird and sentimental. Remember that day when I said I hated how there was no color in the room? Well, bringing a photo collage of all of us and putting it up on my wall was pretty much the best thing ever. My dear, there is no other way to say this, you're fabulous. I really love your sense of fashion, and even though I could never pull it off, you inspire me and my drag daily. I'm going to miss your loud, random outbursts, your songs, and optimistic attitude. _

_I believe in you,_

_Angel_

Maureen smiled. Out of all her fan mail, this letter was her favorite. She read it whenever she felt down, because it lifted her up. Then she pinned it back up on her wall, right next to Joanne's love letters that she had saved.

She stood in front of her closet, closely examining her dresses. "Red or dark purple?" she asked herself. Maureen's show's opening night was tomorrow, and she still didn't know which dress to wear. Joanne, who was coming as her date, was wearing black. "Angel," she said. "What would Angel do?"


	6. Mimi

_Mimi,_

_I guess you're probably wondering why I waited so long to send this to you. It's because I wanted you to remember me. So if you've forgotten who I am by now, I'm Angel. I'm Dominican, and a boy by birth. I dress in drag, and play drums on the street. We used to go shopping together, gossip, and we were best friends. You're still mine. But who am I kidding? There's no way you could have forgotten me, it's only been 2 years. I hope, no, I know, that you and Roger are still together. I know he can be a pain sometimes, but I also know that you guys love each other. I hope by now you've gotten serious with your dancing career, but if not, I think you should. You should go follow your dreams, Mimi. I wanted to say thank you, well, for a lot of things, but mostly for treating me like I was just another one of your girlfriends. In drag or not. For not being afraid of talking to me about how annoying boobs, or your period are. For really just being my best friend. I'll always love you. _

_Adios Amiga,_

_Angel_

_PS. Happy 21__st__honey. Now you can drink legally. Get a pina colada for me._

"Mimi, what's wrong?" Roger walked into her room to find Mimi crying, her tears dropping on the pink paper in her hands.

She held up the letter and gave it to him to read, "She sent it."

Roger smiled and sat on the bed with her, wrapping his arms around her.


End file.
